The Special Guest Meghan Markle Brought With Her To The NAACP Awards Is Warming Hearts
In their first public appearance of 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended the 53rd NAACP Image Awards on February 26, 2022, per the Daily Mail. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's attendance wasn't merely ceremonial; they were there to accept the honorable President's Award with past recipients including Muhammad Ali, Jay-Z, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, according to Entertainment Tonight. They received this award as recognition of their efforts at a Texas women's shelter, their mission in building community relief centers, and their continued promotion of vaccine equality through their Archewell Foundation, according to The Guardian.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave a touching speech as they accepted their award. According to People, they began by drawing attention to the situation in Ukraine and the need to offer help in any way possible. Prince Harry then proceeded to show his appreciation for Markle as he said, "I think it's safe to say that I come from a very different background from my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason. We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to combat injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to."
Markle pitched in with her own portion of the acceptance speech and took the time to acknowledge the pain of George Floyd's murder as she explained, "In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organization, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress." Before concluding her speech, Markle also acknowledged a very special guest in attendance.
Meghan Markle shouts out mother in her acceptance speech
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex accepted the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards in the presence of a star-studded crowd. Among them were fellow award recipients Issa Rae, Jennifer Hudson, and Will Smith, per The Hollywood Reporter. Meghan Markle concluded her acceptance speech with a powerful message per People, "This is the era of the digital justice movement. We are proud to partner with NAACP and each of you to translate the vital efforts of those who came before us to the modern challenges that exist ahead of us." She added, "Thank you so much for joining us in this work, and thank you again for this incredible honor. Truly," before giving an honorable mention to her special guest, "My mom's here with us tonight, and we all feel very proud. Thank you."
Fans were excited to see Markle's mother Doria Ragland in attendance. Being the only member of Markle's family who attended the royal wedding, it has always been clear how close the mother and daughter are, according to Harper's Bazaar. Journalist Nola Ojomu took to Twitter to share a photo of the couple and Ragland posing alongside Anthony Anderson and his mother. Ojomu exclaimed, "Prince Harry and Meghan Markle looked beautiful as ever at the #NAACPImageAwards. But can I hear a little commotion for the glorious Doria Ragland?!! Mama is glowinggggg." Fans flooded Twitter with loving tweets sharing their joy at seeing Ragland attending the event. One user tweeted, "Doria looks very elegant. I can see where Meghan gets all her poise from."